Forget Gyoza, Topwin Center's Xiaohe Takes Aim at Crispy Tempura Sets Instead

With such a large consumer base of workers in Sanlitun, bosses of food and beverage businesses must constantly be racking their brains to keep up with the trends, live up to expectations, and maintain traffic. It's not surprising then that the turnaround in venues is high, or in the case of the recently opened Xiaohe in the basement of Topwin Center, you close as a gyoza joint and then reopen with a sole focus on tempura.

Yes, the pan-fried dumplings of yore have been completely replaced with a handful of tempura rice set options (RMB 55-88, served all day) as well as a luscious tempura set (RMB 198) only available at night.

This classic Japanese dish, composed of battered and deep-fried vegetables and seafood (think eggplant, sweet potatoes, carrot, mushroom, fish, squid, and shrimp) paired with special dipping sauce, is a favorite side dish at many a Japanese restaurant, though it's rarely the main event. That being said, the sets here prove their worth, with the classic tempura rice set including a rounded meal of phoenix-tailed prawns, chicken breast, and vegetables. If you don't want rice to pair with your meal, switch it out for cold soba noodles instead.

Alternatively, if you're not wanting anything too heavy, opt for the seven kinds of deep-fried vegetables set (RMB 55), featuring a hearty range meat-free tempura (egg, asparagus, shiitake mushroom, eggplant, lotus root, and sweet potato), a steamed egg custard, miso soup, pickled cabbage, and a dessert. Delightfully crisp and coated in a light batter, the tempura went down a treat, especially the egg tempura which is first poached and then deep-fried – biting into it, the egg yolk oozes out and mingles with the crunchy batter for a rich combination that ends far too quickly.

The sides were also on point though if there's one downside it's that service can slow exponentially during crowded times due to the meticulous process required not to overcook these fragile bites.

Thankfully Xiaohe has kept the izakaya-style décor that we enjoyed from their previous incarnation, with the relatively dark but warmly-lit space and booths separated by curtains. That ambiance makes it the perfect environment to munch down on a slice of deep-fried Japanese tradition.

Xiaohe Japanese Tempura Dining
Daily 11.30am-2pm, 5-10pm. B1, Topwin Center, Nansanlitun Lu, Chaoyang District (137 1767 4567)
小鹤天婦羅専門店：朝阳区南三里屯路通盈中心负一层

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Photos: Tracy Wang